French Quarter restaurants expecting Thanksgiving holiday surge

RESTAURANTS ARE BRACING FOR A MUCH NEEDED BUSINESS BOOST. THAT’S RIGHT. SEVERAL ARE STAYING OPEN FOR THANKSGIVING. GEARING UP FOR A HOLIDAY SURGE. SOME OF US DON’T WANT TO COOK. SOME OF US ALREADY STARTED TO GO TO THE RESTAURANT. WDSU ELIZABETH KUEBEL LIVE IN THE FRENCH QUARTER WITH JUST HOW BUSY IT WILL BE IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ELIZABETH. AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY’RE BANKING ON. GINA AND SMILA THEY ACTUALLY SAY THAT TOMORROW IS ONE OF THEIR BUSIEST HOLIDAYS, AND THEY ALREADY HAVE HUNDREDS OF RESERVATIONS ON THEIR BOOKS. THE TABLES ARE GETTING SET AND THE PREP WORK IS UNDERWAY FOR A HOLIDAY FEAST AT THIS ICONIC FRENCH QUARTER RESTAURANT. ABOUT 150 POUNDS OF DARK MEAT, ANOTHER 600 POUNDS OF WHITE MEAT AND THEN ALL THE FIXINGS ON TOP OF THAT. I THINK TODAY I COOKED OFF 80 POUNDS OF MACARONI JUST FOR MAC AND CHEESE. THE COURT OF TWO SISTERS IS DOING A THANKSGIVING BRUNCH, AND THEY’VE ALREADY BOOKED 850 RESERVATIONS FOR IT. THAT IS ON TOP OF THE WALK INS THEY EXPECT TO, SO THEY COULD EASILY SEAT MORE THAN A THOUSAND PEOPLE. ON THURSDAY, A WELCOME BOOST AFTER WHAT THEY SAY HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT QUIETER OF A FALL AND A SLOW SUMMER SLUMP. SO MANY IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY FACE ANY DAY, YOU CAN HAVE A GOOD THURSDAY TO GO ON TOP OF THE REST OF YOUR MONTH. IT’S JUST IT’S A GOOD BOOST. WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT EVERY YEAR, ESPECIALLY COMING OFF OF A SLOW SUMMER HAS BEEN WE’VE BEEN EXPERIENCING, PARTICULARLY FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. SO WE WELCOME THE FALL, BUT PARTICULARLY THE HOLIDAY SEASON. IT IS THE SAME STORY JUST AROUND THE CORNER AT ANOTHER NEW ORLEANS. INSTITUTION. ARNAUD’S IS QUIET NOW, BUT THAT WILL NOT BE THE CASE IN A DAY. EVERY ONE OF OUR 17 DINING ROOMS IS BEING USED. TOMORROW WE START SEATING AT NOON. IN. OUR LAST SEATING IS AT 6 P.M. AND WE’RE FULLY COMMITTED. BUT OF COURSE, THANKSGIVING DAY IS THE BIG DAY FOR US. AND LOOK, IF YOU DON’T WANT TO COOK TOMORROW OR DON’T WANT TO CLEAN EITHER, WHAT I’M GOING TO DO FOR YOU IS POST A LINK FOR YOU ON WDSU.COM. OF ALL THE RESTAURANTS THAT ARE STAYING OPEN RIGHT HERE IN NEW ORLEANS ON THANKSGIVING DAY, REPORTING LIVE IN T

Updated: 6:23 PM CST Nov 26, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Some restaurants are bracing for a much-needed business boost. Several are staying open for Thanksgiving and gearing up for a holiday surge. That includes the iconic Court of Two Sisters. The restaurant is doing a Thanksgiving brunch and has already booked 850 reservations for it. That’s on top of the walk-ins they expect, so they could easily seat more than one thousand groups on Thursday. It’s the same story just around the corner at another New Orleans institution. Arnaud’s says every one of their 17 dining rooms is being used on Thanksgiving.Here’s a list of New Orleans restaurants open on Thanksgiving: Thanksgiving Restaurants Open in New Orleans | Where to Dine on Thanksgiving Day

NEW ORLEANS —

Some restaurants are bracing for a much-needed business boost. Several are staying open for Thanksgiving and gearing up for a holiday surge.

That includes the iconic Court of Two Sisters. The restaurant is doing a Thanksgiving brunch and has already booked 850 reservations for it. That’s on top of the walk-ins they expect, so they could easily seat more than one thousand groups on Thursday.

It’s the same story just around the corner at another New Orleans institution. Arnaud’s says every one of their 17 dining rooms is being used on Thanksgiving.

Here’s a list of New Orleans restaurants open on Thanksgiving: Thanksgiving Restaurants Open in New Orleans | Where to Dine on Thanksgiving Day